Indiana, PA (BN24) – Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Wednesday she would pursue national legal reform to make sexual harassment a criminal offense in all states after a man groped and attempted to kiss her during a public walk in Mexico City.
The incident occurred Tuesday as Sheinbaum walked toward an event near the National Palace, greeting supporters and taking photos with bystanders. Videos circulating on social media show a man approaching the president from behind, wrapping his arm around her shoulder, and touching her hip and chest while trying to kiss her neck.
Security personnel swiftly intervened and pulled the man away. Authorities said he appeared intoxicated and was later taken into custody. The complaint was filed with the Mexico City prosecutor’s office, where sexual harassment is already punishable by law.
Speaking at her daily morning press conference, Sheinbaum, Mexico’s first female president, explained that she decided to press charges after learning the man had continued harassing other women following the incident.
“My view is, if I don’t file a complaint, what will happen to other Mexican women?” she said. “If they do this to the president, what will happen to all women in our country?”
The president said she intends to push for a nationwide campaign and legislative review to ensure sexual harassment is treated as a crime in all 32 federal districts of Mexico. “It should be a criminal offense everywhere,” she said, adding that she had endured similar harassment when she was younger.
Despite the assault, Sheinbaum was seen in the footage responding calmly, briefly posing for a photo with the man before realizing the extent of what occurred. “This person approached me completely drunk. I didn’t realize what had really happened until I saw the videos,” she said.
The incident has sparked widespread criticism of the president’s security detail and reignited debate about the pervasive machismo culture that normalizes harassment in public spaces. According to UN Women, about 70% of Mexican women over the age of 15 have experienced some form of sexual harassment.
Women’s rights groups have condemned the incident as symptomatic of Mexico’s entrenched gender inequality. “If even the president of Mexico is not safe from this kind of aggression, it shows the depth of the problem,” one prominent feminist advocate said on local television.
Sheinbaum said she would not alter her approach to public engagement, reaffirming her commitment to remain close to citizens, even amid heightened security concerns following recent political violence. “A line must be drawn,” she said, “but I will continue walking among the people.”
The assault occurred just days after Carlos Manzo, the mayor of Uruapan in Michoacán state, was shot dead during Day of the Dead celebrations. The murder has intensified calls for better protection for politicians and public figures.
Since taking office, Sheinbaum has sought to improve Mexico’s security landscape, focusing on drug cartel violence and fentanyl trafficking — a central issue in her cooperation with U.S. President Donald Trump.
As her administration addresses this latest attack, Sheinbaum said she remains determined to use her platform to fight gender-based violence. “This is not just about me,” she said. “It’s about every woman who deserves to walk safely in her own country.”
